Stories of food, life, and love.

Mira’s Poetry and My Blog

I came across the poet Mira in a book that I received as a gift from Liz, my boss at my second JVC placement (St. Stephen’s). The book is called Love Poems from God: Tweleve Sacred Voices from the East and West. I thought the title was kind of funny at first. Then I started reading the book and I immediately understood. As the editor of the book (Daniel Ladinsky) writes, to dismiss the possibility that the divine can speak through women and men is to limit God.

The book contains poems from six Eastern voices and six Western; I think the best are from the Eastern poets such as Rumi, Hafiz, and Mira but they are all wonderful. It is a quote from Mira’s poem “I Write of that Journey” that I chose for the title of this blog.

don’t forget love;it will bring all the madness you need to unfurl yourself across the universe.

I do not believe she writes here of romantic love. Of course, I am no literary critic and it is possible I am wrong. And yet, so often when we hear the word love, our mind pictures romance or weddings or love birds. However, I do not think Mira necessarily meant to convey that meaning of love here. No, I read this passage and immediately think of what I am passionate about, what brings me joy and purpose. I interpret this passage as a gentle reminder that I should not forget those tasks I am here on earth to complete. At a time when it is easy to feel down in the dumps–when I have sent out that 40th or 50th job application–Mira’s entreaty is a welcome reminder to focus on what I love in life.

Which brings me to this blog. When something is mentioned to you more than three times, perhaps it is the universe speaking. Or maybe not. Either way, I have followed the advice of several people in my life and now this blog exists where once there was nothing. Here I will document the things that bring me joy, the things I love in life. Mostly I expect this little creation to contain information about books, recipes, and crafts that I love. If all else fails, it will help me remember Mira’s words; it will help me bring all the madness I need to unfurl myself across the universe.